This is an account of my birding trips in the valley plus holidays birding abroad.

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Rallus aquaticus caught in the act

After listening yesterday to commentary of my Gooners turning to Goners it was time to escape to
Maple Lodge away from the overpaid mercenaries wrapped in cotton wool.
I walked to the reserve signed in and made my way to the Rotunda hide where in the cold wind and the
calls of Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler pierced the air.
I managed some distant shots of Water Rail then Dean and Asa Barker arrived in the hide,they
had seen Water rail yesterday and now a pair were copulating at some distance.

What can you say this almost instigates proven breeding all we need now is eggs and young,
but this was amazing after a winter of rain and miscontent.After a while the birds came closer
and performed in front of the hide.

The male was first coming up under the boardwalk at close quarters investigating the area
where the female was.

It was not long before he was off then a little later the female obliged.

The female posed longer than her partner as we clicked away with our cameras.

It was not long before they had both disappeared,
had we not been entertained,Rallus aquaticus thankyou.

About Me

I have been a local Naturalist and Ornithologist since the age of 13.
My boyhood was spent in Croxley Green where I searched for birds nests in the woodlands and river valleys.see colnevalleybirding.co.uk for more info.